Stop element system and stop element for concrete formworks

ABSTRACT

A stop element system for concrete formworks, includes at least two step elements ( 10   a,    10   b ) each having a base ( 11 ) for being placed on a constructional component, a through-opening ( 12 ) defining an attachment axis (A) and provided with an abutment ( 14 ) for a fastening element, and a stop surface ( 15 ) for a formwork wall, and at least one elongate spacer ( 20, 20   a   , 20   b ) for connecting the at least two stop elements ( 10   a,    10   b ) at a predetermined distance from each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a stop element system for concrete formworks and including at least two stop elements each having a base for being placed on a constructional component, a through-opening defining an attachment axis and provided with an abutment for a fastening element, and a stop surface for a formwork wall. The present invention also relates to a stop element for use in the stop element system.

2. Description of the Prior Art

European Publication EP 0 971 084 A1 discloses a stop element for concrete formworks and having a base for placing the stop element on a constructional component, a through-opening, and an abutment for a nail. The stop element is secured on the constructional component with a nail. The stop element also has a stop surface for a formwork wall.

The drawback of the known stop element consists in that during erection of formworks for concrete walls or ceilings with a predetermined thickness, a pair of the stop elements should be installed at a predetermined distance from each other to insure that formwork walls are spaced from each other by a predetermined distance corresponding to the predetermined wall thickness of the concrete wall or ceiling. This means that the distance between the stop elements in the thickness direction of the formwork should be measured each time, which means additional expenses at the construction site.

An object of the present invention is to provide a stop element system which would provide for erection of formworks with smaller expenses.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a user-friendly stop element for such a system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by providing a stop element system including at least two stop elements and at least one elongate spacer for connecting the at least two stop elements with each other at a predetermined distance from each other.

The at least two stop elements and the spacer form together a constructional unit. The length of the unit, which is formed of the stop elements and spacer, determines the distance between two formwork walls (further referred to as formwork distance), and which length is so selected that it corresponds to standard formwork distances.

Advantageously, the at least one spacer is formed as a separate member provided with counter-coupling elements which cooperate with respective coupling elements provided on the stop elements for connecting the spacer with the stop elements. This permits to provide a very flexibly mountable, modular stop element system.

It is advantageous when there is provided a plurality of spacers having different lengths and selectively connectable with the stop elements. Thereby, different lengths of a constructional unit from stop elements and a spacer can be easily obtained.

Advantageously, the spacers or spacer sections are formed integrally with stop elements, with each spacer or spacer section having both coupling and counter-coupling elements. This permits to reduce the number of parts and simultaneously, permits to easily obtain a desired length of the constructional unit formed of stop elements and spacer sections.

Advantageously, each of the spacers or spacer sections is provided with a plurality of counter-coupling elements arranged in uniform grid. Thereby with two identical stop elements formed integrally with respective spacer sections, different lengths of a constructional unit of stop elements and spacer sections can be easily obtained.

It is also advantageous when a longitudinal axis, which is defined by the longitudinal extent of a spacer or a spacer section, extends transverse to the attachment axis of the stop element(s). This insures that the bases of both stop elements of a constructional unit would evenly contact the constructional component on which the stop elements are to-be-placed.

The present invention also relates to a stop element for use in a stop element system. The inventive stop element has a base with which the stop element is placed on a constructional component, a through-opening defining an attachment axis and provided with an abutment for a fastening element, a stop surface for a formwork wall and at least one coupling element for connecting the stop element with the spacer. Thereby, at least two stop elements can be connected with each other at predetermined distance therebetween by at least one spacer. The stop elements and the at least one spacer form a unit with variable length determined by a length of the spacer.

Alternatively, a stop element can be formed integrally with a spacer section of a multi-sectional spacer. In this case, the at least one coupling element is provided in a free end region of the spacer section, and at least one counter-coupling element is provided in a longitudinal section of the spacer section extending in the longitudinal direction of the elongate section, between the at least one coupling element and a second end of the elongate spacer section opposite the coupling element. This reduces the number of parts.

It is advantageous when there is provided a plurality of counter-locking elements arranged in uniform grid. This insures an easy setting of a desired length of a constructional unit formed of stop elements with integral spacer sections.

A simplified constructional unit can be formed when the coupling element is formed by at least one locking hook projecting sidewise from the elongate spacer section, and the counter-coupling element is formed by a locking opening.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one coupling element is formed by a locking opening formed in a wall section. In this case, a stop element can be easily connected with a spacer which is formed separately and carries a counterlocking element in form of a hook.

It is advantageous when a longitudinal axis defined by a longitudinal extent of the spacer section-forming elongate section, extends transverse to the attachment axis. This insures that the bases of both stop elements of a constructional unit would evenly contact a constructional component on which the stop elements are to be placed.

The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings show:

FIG. 1 a perspective view of a system of stop elements according to the present invention for a concrete formwork, with the system having two stop elements and a spacer;

FIG. 2 a a perspective view of a first embodiment of a stop element for the system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 b a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a stop element for the system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 a perspective view of another embodiment of a system of stop elements according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 a perspective view of a stop element according to an alternative embodiment for the system shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A system of stop elements (further) stop element system according to the present invention for a concrete formwork is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a and includes two elements 10 a, 10 b and a spacer 20. The first stop element 10 a is fixedly connected with the spacer 20 by a coupling that would be described in detail further below. The stop elements 10 a, 10 b have each a base 11 for placing the stop element on a constructional component and a through-opening 12 that defines an attachment axis A. Around the through-opening 12, there is provided an abutment 13 for a fastening element. Further, each of the stop elements 10 a and 10 b has a circumferential wall 16 and at least one stop surface 15 for a formwork 30 (FIG. 2 a). The stop surface 15 can be formed at least in one of its regions by the circumferential wall 16. A truss 17 projects sidewise from each of stop element 10 a, 10 b. The truss 17 has a locking opening 18 that forms a coupling element 21. The opening 18 is formed in a wall section 14. The axis OA of the locking opening 18 extends substantially perpendicular to the attachment axis A of the two stop elements 10 a, 10 b.

The spacer 20 is formed as an elongate bar connector extending along a longitudinal axis L and provided at each of its opposite first and second axial end regions 23 and 25 with a counter-coupling element 22 that cooperates with a respective coupling element 21 on the stop elements 10 a, 10 b. Each of the counter-coupling elements 22 has two locking hooks 26 which in the coupled state of the spacer 20 with the stop elements 10 a, 10 b, extend through the respective locking opening 18 that forms the respective coupling element 21, engaging from behind, at least in one region, the walls which surrounds the locking opening.

In the coupled state, the longitudinal axis L of the spacer 20 extends substantially transverse to the attachment axes A of the stop elements 10 a, 10 b and coaxially with the axes OA of the respective locking openings 18 of the stop elements 10 a, 10 b.

The length of the unit, which is formed of the two stop elements 10 a, 10 b and the spacer 20 in the axial direction of the spacer 20 defines the distance of two formwork walls 30 from each other. There is provided a plurality of spacers 20 having different axial lengths. Thereby, different distances of formwork walls from each other can be preset.

A stop element 10 a, 10 b, which is shown in FIG. 2 b, differs from the stop element shown in FIG. 2 a, in that the locking opening 18 (as coupling element 21) is not provided in a truss but is rather provided in a wall section 14 provided in a window in the circumferential wall 16. The stop element 10 a, 10 b has essentially a cylindrical prismatic configuration. The axis OA of the locking opening 18 again extends transverse to the attachment axis A of the stop element.

With respect to other reference numerals in FIG. 2 b which were not specifically mentioned, reference should be made to the description of FIGS. 1 and 2 a in its entirety.

A stop element system, which is shown in FIG. 3 likewise has stop elements 10 a, 10 b connected with each other. However, the stop elements 10 a, 10 b in the system of FIG. 3 differs from those in FIG. 1 in that a spacer section 20 a, 20 b is formed as one-piece with a respective stop element 10 a, 10 b, with the spacer section 20 a, 20 b being provided with both the coupling elements 21 and the counter-coupling elements 22. The longitudinal axis L of the spacer section 20 a, 20 b likewise essentially extends transverse to the attachment axis A of the stop element 10 a, 10 b.

The coupling element 21 is provided at a free-end region 23 of the spacer section 20 a, 20 b, and the counter-coupling elements, 22 are provided on an elongate section 24 that extends in the longitudinal direction of the spacer section 20 a, 20 b between the coupling element 21 and the opposite second end 25 of the spacer section 20 a, 20 b. The coupling element 21 is formed as sidewise (i.e., with orientation transverse or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and transverse to the attachment axis A) projecting, from the spacer section 20 a, 20 b, hooks 27 engageable with counter-coupling elements 22 formed as locking opening 28. In the elongate section 24, a plurality of counter-locking element 22 or locking openings 28 is formed and which are equidistantly spaced from each other. As a result, formation of the unit having different length with two stops elements 10 a, 10 b can be realized.

A stop element 10 a, 10 b, which is shown in FIG. 4, differs from that shown in FIG. 3 in that it has essentially a cylindrical prismatic configuration whereas the stop element 10 a, 10 b of FIG. 3 has rather a triangular configuration. As to the other reference numerals not specifically mentioned, reference should be made to the description of FIGS. 1 through 3 in its entirety.

Though the present invention was shown and described with references to the preferred embodiments, such are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not to be construed as a limitation thereof and various modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore not intended that the present invention be limited to the disclosed embodiments or details thereof, and the present invention includes all variations and/or alternative embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A stop element system for concrete formworks, comprising at least two step elements (10 a, 10 b) each having a base (11) for being placed on a constructional component, a through-opening (12) defining an attachment axis (A) and provided with an abutment (14) for a fastening element, and a stop surface (15) for a formwork wall; and at least one elongate spacer (20, 20 a, 20 b) for connecting the at least two stop elements (10 a, 10 b) at a predetermined distance from each other.
 2. A stop element system according to claim 1, wherein the at least spacer (20) is formed as a separate member provided with counter-coupling elements (22) which cooperate with respective coupling elements (21) provided on the stop elements (10 a, 10 b) for connecting the spacer (20) with the stop elements (10 a, 10 b).
 3. A stop element system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of spacers (20) having different lengths and selectively connectable with the stop elements (10 a, 10 b).
 4. A stop element system according to claim 1, comprising at least two spacers (20 a, 20 b) formed integrally as one-piece with respective stop elements (10 a, 10 b) and each having at least one coupling element (21) and at least one counter-coupling element (22) for connecting the at least two spacers (20 a, 20 b) with each other.
 5. A stop element system according to claim 4, wherein on each of the at least two spacers (20 a, 20 b), there is provided a plurality of counter-coupling elements (22) arranged in uniform grid.
 6. A stop element system according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis (L) of the at least one spacer (20, 20 a, 20 b) extends transverse to the attachment axis (A) of the stop element (10 a, 10 b).
 7. A stop element for use in a stop element system for concrete formworks and having at least two stop elements and at least one elongate spacer (20, 20 a, 20 b) for connecting the at least two stop elements (10 a, 10 b) at a predetermined distance from each other, the stop element (10 a, 10 b) comprising a base (11) for being placed on constructional component; a through-opening (12) defining an attachment axis (A) and provided with an abutment (14) for a fastening element, a stop surface (15) for a formwork wall; and at least one coupling element (21) for connecting the stop element with the spacer (20).
 8. A stop element according to claim 7, wherein the least one coupling element (21) is formed by a locking opening (18) formed in a wall section (14).
 9. A stop element for use in a stop element system for concrete formworks and having at least two stop elements and at least one elongate spacer (20 a, 20 b) for connecting the at least two stop elements (10 a, 10 b) at a predetermined distance from each other, with the at least one spacer being formed of a plurality of spacer sections (20 a, 20 b) connectable with each other, the stop element (10 a, 10 b) comprising a base (11) for being placed on constructional component; a through-opening (12) defining an attachment axis (A) and provided with an abutment (14) for a fastening element, a stop surface (15) for a formwork wall; and an elongate section (20 a, 20 b) formed integrally therewith and forming a spacer section (20 a, 20 b), the elongate section having at least one coupling element (21) provided in a free end region (23) thereof, and at least one counter-coupling element (22) provided in a longitudinal section (24) thereof extending in a longitudinal direction of the elongate section, between the at least one coupling element (21) and a second end (25) of the elongate section (20 a, 20 b) opposite the coupling element (21).
 10. A stop element according to claim 9, comprising a plurality of counter-locking elements (22) arranged in uniform grid.
 11. A stop element according to claim 9, wherein the coupling element (21) is formed by at least one locking hook (27) projecting side-wise from the elongate section, and the counter-coupling element (22) is formed by a locking opening (28).
 12. A stop element according to claim 9, wherein a longitudinal axis (L) defined by a longitudinal extent of the spacer section-forming elongate section, extends transverse to the attachment axis (A). 